Houston grand jury hands down commercial gambling indictments

A Houston County grand jury has returned two separate indictments involving commercial gambling in which illegal cash winnings were allegedly paid out at Warner Robins convenience and other retail stores.

Nearly $800,000 generated from the alleged criminal enterprises was used to buy homes and improve property, prosecutors contend.

One indictment that includes 47 counts accuses three people of racketeering and commercial gambling related to the illegal payout of money instead of prizes for winnings on state-sanctioned video gambling machines. The indictments followed a series of raids by Warner Robins police targeting commercial gambling in which cash was illegally paid out.

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Bharatkumar Dhayal Amin, 34, of Centerville, was indicted on three counts of racketeering, six counts of commercial gambling and three counts of violation of the state’s currency transaction reporting.

Maheshkumar Dahyalal Amin, 32, of Warner Robins, was indicted on three counts of racketeering, six counts of commercial gambling, one count of violation of currency transaction reporting, and 29 counts of false statements.

Sanjiv Patel, 40, of Warner Robins, was indicted on three counts of racketeering, six counts of commercial gambling and four counts of making a false statements.

The charges of violation of the currency transaction reporting against the two men are related to the purchase of a $50,000 home on Pembroke Pointe in Centerville. Bharatkumar Amin’s address listed on the indictment is the same as for the home.

Bharatkumar Amin was also indicted on a charge of currency transaction violation for allegedly reporting $685,000 worth of improvements to the same property allegedly obtained from the criminal enterprise, the indictment stated.

The alleged criminal activity took place between July 7, 2005, and June 17, 2013. The stores involved were Gifts and More at 512 Russell Parkway; Davis Food Store at 1202 Davis Drive; Bi-Lo Mart at 1310 Green St.; USA Dollar Store at 1621 Moody Road; The Gift Shop at 1756 Watson Blvd.; and Fine Foods at 545 N. Davis Drive.

In the separate, 11-count indictment, Kiritkumar Dahyalal Amin, 35, of Warner Robins, was indicted on three counts of racketeering, two counts of commercial gambling, three counts of false statements and one count of violation of currency transaction reporting.

Jignisha R. Patel, 33, of Warner Robins, was indicted on three counts of racketeering, two counts of commercial gambling, and two counts of violation of currency transaction reporting.

The alleged criminal activity took place between Oct. 10, 2007, and June 17, 2013.

The stores involved include Rocky’s Quick Shop at 203 Green St. and Pop’s Food Mart at 514 N. Davis Drive.

The currency transaction violation against Jignisha Patel involved the purchase of $62,000 Bridgeway Drive property in Warner Robins with funds allegedly obtained from the criminal enterprise, the indictment stated. The other charge of currency transaction violation dealt with how the funds were recorded.

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